Iivo Niskanen, the three-time Olympic champion in skiing, will make his debut on Midsummer Friday as a trotting instructor. Niskanen completed the trotting license in May after his racing season.
Iivo Niskanen began his career as a trotting instructor in Vieremä’s Midsummer raves on Friday. Niskanen finished 11th in 13 horses. Niskanen received his trotting license in May.
Before leaving for the first time, Niskanen said that the atmosphere was suitably tense. Niskanen and the warm-blooded stallion EV Esko competed in the third start of Midsummer.
– I said yesterday that I hope there will be a little tension. The skiing bar has started to be high in skiing, so if now the bar was a little lower and started to get really excited, Niskanen comments to Urheilu.
The three-time Olympic champion in skiing was expected to finish in the top three in his opening competition.
– The same starting point is in equestrian sports and skiing. If we are third in the pre-planning, then there must be a third that has gone ok and if it ranks better, then it has gone well.
– If you are in a worse position, then it is much worse and then it has been a long-awaited start to your career, Niskanen laughs.
Trotting guidance is one of Niskanen’s childhood dreams. He has been involved in equestrian sports for a long time, including in the form of horse ownership.
– There has also become an interest in coaching and performance. Let’s see how much it bites. Maybe the competition will not hit in the same way on the hoof groove as on the track, but we will soon see what it will be like, Niskanen estimates before the race.
– Somehow I could imagine being a kinder athlete in this circle.
Niskanen has a long history in Vieremä raves. The strong trotting culture of the skier’s hometown has kept the athlete in grip.
– Here, the event has turned from a cleaner to that toto sale and finally to it as a trotting athlete. Yes there is a strong horse keeper here.
– The relatives also have horses, which have then been rotated to follow, Niskanen says.
EV Esko, who was in Niskanen’s reins, is being coached Matti Nisonen. The six-year-old warm-blooded senior has done well as a trotter and Esko has taken five wins in 22 starts.
Niskanen’s career as a pilot will continue during the summer, when in mid-July the skier will start in connection with Mikkeli’s St Michel cross-country.